Conveyer mechanism for box wrapping machines



Jan. 6, 1953 C. J. PETERSON CONVEYER MECHANISM FOR BOX WRAPPING MACHINESFiled Nov. 19, 1946 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEN TOR.

4 WWW HTTORNEY- Clarence .J. Pezerson.

Jan. 6, 1953 c. J. PETERSON 2,624,448

CONVEYER MECHANISM FOR BOX WRAPPING MACHINES Filed Nov. 19, 1946 6Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR. Clarence J. Peierson.

Jan; 6, 1953 c. J. PETERSON 2,624,448

CQNVEYER MECHANISM FOR BOX WRAPPING MACHINES Filed NOV. 19, 1946 6Sheets-Sheet 3 m INVEN TOR.-

Clarence .J. Peierson.

Jan. 6, 1953 c. J. PETERSON 2,624,448

CONVEYER MECHANISM FOR BOX-WRAPPING MACHINES 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov.19, 1946 JNVEN TOR. Clarence J. Rain-son.

Jan. 6, 1953 c. J. PETERSON 2,624,448

CONVEYER MECHANISM FOR BOX WRAPPING MACHINES Filed Nov. 19. 1946 6Shets-Sheet s Clarence J. Peizrson. B

HTTORNEY.

INVENTOR.

Jan. 6, 1953 c. J. PETERSON CONVEYER MECHANISM FOR BOX WRAPPING MACHINESFiled Nov. 19, 1946 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Clarence Aki?) Patented Jan. 6,1953 UNITED STATES OFFICE CONVEYER MECHANISM FOR BOX WRAPPING MACHINES 7Claims.

This invention relates to a box wrapping machine wherein oiled orparafiined paper is automatically wrapped around a box as this box movesthrough the machine.

An object of my invention is to provide a continuous movement of theboxes through the machine in one horizontal plane, this plane beingcontinuous from the feeding to the discharge end of the machine.

A feature of my invention is to provide a vertical paper feed whichfeeds the paper in front of each box as it goes into the machine, thebox being moved against the paper which is thus partly folded around thebox.

Another feature of my invention is to provide yieldable heaters,folders, and coolers which are spring pressed and thus compensate forirregularities in the boxes.

Another object is to provide a novel means to guide and hold the rams ona top track, and to feed these rams back on a bottom track, the ramsbeing held rigidly while moving on the top track and while engaging theboxes.

Another feature of my invention is to provide a novel means of advancingthe rams beyond the chain sprocket, thereby pushing the boxes into thepath of a second conveyor, moving at right angles to the first conveyor.

Another object of my invention is to provide in a box wrapping machine,a novel variable speed tucking wheel in the second or right angleconveyor, whereby the rear edge of the paper is tucked against the boxduring the final wrapping s ep.

Another feature of my invention is to provide a novel variable speeddrive for the tucking wheel and a second variable speed drive for thepaper cutting rollers.

Another feature of my invention is to provide a simple, effective andinexpensive variable speed drive between the driving motor and the maindriving shaft of the machine.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from theaccompanying drawing, the subjoined detailed description and theappended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my box wrapping machine.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Figure 3 is an end view of the same observed from the discharge end.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of the ram drive and guidetrack therefor.

Figure 5 is an end view of the same.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on lineG- B of Figure 5.

Figure '7 is view similar to Figure 6, but taken just forwardly of thatfigure.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary plan view of the drive mechanism from the mainshaft to the tucking wheel shaft.

Figure 9 is a plan view of the tucking wheel.

Figure 10 is a side elevation of the drive assembly shown in Figure 8.

Figure 11 is a front elevation of the paper feed mechanism.

Figure 12 is a side elevation as viewed from the left in Figure 11. V

Figure 13 is a side elevation of the paper feed viewed from the right inFigure 11.

Figure 14 is a transverse sectional view of the paper cutting rollers.

Figure 15 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line l5-l5 of Figure11.

In my box wrapping machine, the boxes are fed on to one end of ahorizontal table. The boxes then move against a sheet of paper which isstretched vertically in front of each box. The

paper is out just before the box engages it, and

the box in moving against the paper, causes this paper to fold aroundone edge, and the top and the bottom of the box; thereafter, the boxwith the paper partly wrapped around it, is carried through folderswhich fold two opposite sides of the paper and seal the same.

The boxes are then conveyed into a right angle conveyor and in movingalong this right angle conveyor, the final or trailing edge of the paperis folded and sealed around the boxes, thus completing the wrappingoperation.

Paraffined or oiled paper is used and the folding cams as well as theheating plates, and the cooling plates, are usual and well known in thisart; however, the folding of two sides and a trail-' ing edge of thepaper around the box is a feature of my invention and will besubsequently described in detail.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, my box wrapping machinecomprising a frame I which supports a main table 2, and a transversetable 3, the table 3 extends substantially at right angles to the table2 and these tables maybe integral or may be separate pieces, as desired.The boxes are fed substantially horizontal on to the table 2 at the feedend F and are discharged completely wrapped at the discharge end D. Theboxes are advanced singly along the table 2 by spaced rams 4 which aremounted a fragmentary transverse sectional between conveyor chains 5 and5. The method of mounting the rams on the chains and the detailconstruction of the chains will be subsequently described.

The rams 4 are substantially T-shaped and project through a slot 7 inthe table 2. As the boxes reach the end of the table 2, they are movedon to the table 3 and are there picked up by rams 8 which are spacedsimilar to the rams 4 and move the box to the discharge end D. The ramsB are mounted on a conveyor chain 9 and the detailed construction ofthis chain will be subsequently described. The rams l can move to aposition above the table 2 at the end P through a window 5' and can movebelow the table at the other end through a window a".

The wrapping machine is driven by a motor H) which is controlled by theswitch box ii; The switch box and motor are both mounted on the frame/i,substantially as shown. A belt 12 extends from the motor ii! to avariable pitch pulley. lithe purpose of this pulley being to vary thespeed of the machine, and pulleys of this type are usual and well known,and the detailed'construction thereof forms no part of this invention.The pulley I3 is adjusted to various drive positions by the adjustingarm it, and this arm is held in its adjusted position by the arm [5.which in turn is secured to the frame l of the machine. Theadjusting-arm it can be moved to various positions by dropping it intoany one of the notches it in the arm I5.

The adjusting arm I l is pivotally attached to a pad Ill and thus movesarcuately to various adjusted positions which may be required. A secondbelt l8 extends from the variable speed pulley l3 to the pulley is,which drives the jack shaft 28. A chain 2i extends from the sprocket 22on the jack shaft 26, thence to a sprocket 23 on the main drive shaft24. The chains 5 and 6 are both driven at the same rate of speed fromthe main drive shaft 24 in the following manner: The chain 5 encirclessprockets"25 and'26, each of which are suitably journalled on the frameI of the machine. A chain 21 drivesthe sprocket 25 from the drive shaft24' substantially as shown. The conveyor chain 6 is similarly driven bythe chain 23 which extends from the drive shaft 24 and drives thesprocket 29 at one end of said chain.

The transverse conveyor chain 9 travels over the sprockets 3i] and 3!,each of these sprockets being journalled on the frame I of the machine.A- shaft 32 is driven by the meshing bevelled gears 33 from the maindrive shaft 2- 3. A chain 34 drives the sprocket it from the shaft 32substantially as shown.

It will be apparent that the conveyor chains Band 6 are arranged belowthe table 2 and the conveyor chain 9 is arranged below the table 3. Therams 4 extend through a slot l in the table 2 as previously described,and'similarly the rams 8 extend through a slot in the table 3 in orderto engage the boxes and move them along this table tothe discharge endD.

The rams l are held in a horizontal plane while they are moving alongthe table 2 and projecting fromthe slot i, that is, they are supportedso that they will not sag and also at the lower end, it is necessarythat these rams advance beyond the chains 5 and S. The reason for thismovement of the rams beyond the ends of the chains 5 and 6 is to pushthe boxes into the path of the rams 8 so that these boxes can then bemoved along the transverse table 3.

The chains 5 and 6 are mounted in an identical manner and only one willbe described. A pair of spaced rails 3B-3l' extend below the table 2 andare fixedly mounted thereon, these rails are grooved or slottedlongitudinally and the drive chains have projecting rollers which fit inthese slots. Thus the chains are prevented from sagging on the upperreaches thereof. The rams iare each connected to the chains and E byarms 5 3. These arms are pivotally secured to the chains and fixedlyattached to a transverse rod ll. Cam tracks l2-l3 are fixedly attachedto the frame l on each side of the table 2. The rods li are providedwith a roller :34 on each end thereof, and these rollers fit into one ofthe cam tracks. d2 or 5 3. The tracks 2 and &3 are an upper horizontaltrack and a lower horizontal track the upper portion being used for theguiding of the rams along the table 2 and. the lower reach of the trackfor. the; return of. the rams- Thus, an opening 55 must be provided atthe lowerend of the track and a similar opening 4% at the feed endthereof.

across the openings Q5 and To guide the rollers 44 overthese openings, Iprovide cam lugs ti at the lower end and 8 at the feed end. A supportingarm 4:? is fixedly attached to the rod ti and a roller 55 rests on thelugs ii and it, and supports the roller i In Figure 4 I have illustratedhow the rain t is moved beyond the sprocket 25, the arm it pushes theram along the track it and when the opening i5 is reached, the arm 49will hold the ram up and permit it to move beyond the opening 15. Thisoperation is shown in solid lines. Now, as the arm 45} moves around thesprocket to the position shown in dotted lines, the arm 49 will. dropoif-the lug ti, and the roller t l will move into the return path of thetrack 32, again as shown in dotted lines. Thus the ram 4' can push thebox into the path of the rams 8, the plate 54 acting as a stop.

It will be evident that the means of supporting the rams across theopening 46 is the same as the mechanism supporting the same over theopening their properposition above the table 2 when moving across theopenings to and it, but also they are prevented from dropping into theseopenings accidentally, which would break the machine, if this were tooccur.

As the boxes are moved along the table 2 by the rains i, each box firstpicks up a sheet of from the paper feed mechanism 52. The paper feedmechanism comprises a frame 53 which extends vertically above the table2. The paper rolls iii are mounted ona support 55 and are free to rotatewhen pulled by the feed rollers as will be further described. The paperfrom the roller 5d first passes over an idler which is freely journalledin the frame 53.

The paper then moves downwardly to a pair of feed rollerstl which engagethe sheet of paper and pull it downwardly. The rollers 5? are bothjournalled in the frame 53 and are geared together as shown at 53. Belowthe feed rollers 5?, I provide a paper cutter consisting of parallelrollers til-iii The roller 59 is provided with a knife til and theroller 66 is provided with a groove 52 into which the knife extends.These cutter rollers are geared. together asshown at 63, so that theirmovement will be synchronized.

A second set of feed rollers 64 is positioned below the cutters ESQ-Eliand below the rollers 65 are provided spaced rollers 6556, the spacedrollers being driven by the belts 6158 respec- The rains are not onlysupported in ti'vely. A papersmoothing roller 69 is mounted between therollers 64 and the spaced rollers 65-66, the purpose of this rollerbeing to smoothe the paper'over the top of the box, as the box passesunder this roller and between the belts 61- 68 and on top of the table2.

The drive for the paper feed mechanism is as follows: A chain'lflextends from the main drive shaft and drives the jack shaft II. A chain12 drives the shaft 13 by encircling sprockets on the two shafts. Theshaft 13 is geared to the roller 64 as shown at 14. Chains 15-46 drivethe feed rollers 51 from the shaft of the roller d substantially asshown. Thus it will be evident that the feed rollers 51, 6t, 65, and 66are all synchronously driven.

' In order toeffectively cut the paper it is desirable that the knife 6!move rapidly during the cutting operation, that is,the arcuate speed ofthe cutting rollers v59-6i3 should be high during the cutting operation,and thereafter can move at1the same rate of speed as the feed rollers61-'64. To accomplish this variable speed, I provide the followingdrive: Achain 11 extending from the shaft [3 drives a shaft 18. Aslotted arm i9 is fixedly secured to the shaft 18 and a pin 86 travelsin the slot, this pin projecting from an arm 6| on the shaft 812. Theshaft 82 chain drives the shaft of the roller 66, as shown at 83, and 59and 5!! are geared together at 63, as previously described. Due to theslot and pin drive connection, the shaft 82 will have a variable speedand this variable speed is imparted to the rollers 59 and 66 as will beevident.

The paper is fed vertically into the path of the boxes which movehorizontally on the table 2. The paper feeds from the roll 54' andthence between the feed rollers 51, 64 and the belts 61, 68. The cutterknife BI is so timed that when the bottom of the paper extends theproper dis tance belowthe face of the table 2, this knife will cut asheet of paper and the advancing box moving below the roller 69 willpick up this loose sheet which is frictionally held by the belts 61,66., The paper is smoothed over the top and the bottom of the box and isnow ready to have the sides of the paper folded. As a ram carries a boxbeyond the paper feed mechanism, the folding operation commences.

As thebox moves through the paper feed mechanism 52 both sides and thetrailing edge of the paper are open and must be folded around the box.The rams move the box through the side folders 8485, which are of thecam slot type, usual and well known in the art. The sides of the paperwrapper are thus simultaneously folded and moved intothe heater plates8681 which are preferably electrically heated, and melt the paraffin oroil on the paper, thus causing the fold to be retained. Again theseheater plates are usual and well known in the art.

The pressure and cooler plates 6689 on each side of the box hold thefold in proper position while the parafiin or oil is cooling. When thebox reaches the lower end of the table 2, the side folds havebeencompleted and the paraflin or oil is set. The folding plates 84-85are each yieldably pressed inwardly by the spring cylinders 96 andsimilarly the heater plates B6--8| are yieldably pressed inwardly by thespring cylinders 91. Similarly, the pressure plates 88-89 are pressedinwardly by the spring cylinders 92. All of these cylinders aresubstantially identical, and a constant' spring pressure is thusmaintained against the side of the boxes to hold the paper in its foldedposition.

When the boxes reach the lower end of the table 2, they are pushed intothe path of the rams 8, are picked up by these rams, and are then movedtransversely to the discharge end D. During this transverse movement,the trailing edge of the paper is the only part which has not beenfolded, and therefore, it is this trailing edge which is folded duringthe transverse movement.

A cam folding plate 93 folds one edge of the paper during thistransverse movement, and the tucking wheel as folds the rear edge of thepaper before the box moves into the folder 93. The tucking wheel isprovided with a notch 95, which fits around the rear edge of the box,and the edge 96 of the notch is the one which engages the paper andtucks it in to complete the fold. The wheel 84 has a variable speed,moving rapidly during the tucking operation, and then at a reduced speedduring the remainder of its revolution.

The tucking wheel drive is as follows: The wheel is mounted on a shaft9! which is journalled below the table 3. A slotted arm 98 extends fromthe bottom of the shaft 61, a crank 69 has a pin I which extends intothe slot of the arm 98. The crank 99 is driven by the chain [0|encircling sprockets on the crank 99 and a shaft I02. The shaft I62 isdriven from the main drive shaft 24, through the gears 33, shaft 32 andgears I63. Thus the tucking wheel 94 is synchronously driven with theremainder of the machine, as will be evident, and is so timed that thenotch 95 in the wheel will be in proper position each time that a box isadvanced by one of the rams 6.

After the folding and tucking operation is complete, the boxes move pasta heater I64 and finally through the cooler and pressure plate N35. Thebox is now completely wrapped and moves out of the machine at thedischarge end D,

In operation, the machine is continuously driven by the motor in and thespeed of the rams 4 and 8 is determined by the setting of the variablespeed pulleys l3. The rams 4 and 8 move continuously and the boxes arefed in front of each of the rams 4 at the feed end F. The boxes are thenmoved through the paper feed mechanism 52 and as each box moves throughthis paper feed, it picks up a sheet of paper which has been previouslyfed into vertical position ahead of the boxes, and lies between therollers 6t, 65 and 66. The paper has been out off in proper length bythe knife 6|, and is then frictionally held in the rollers 64, 65, and66. The box as it is pushed forwardly, causes the sheet of paper to bewrapped around one edge, the top and the bottom, and then moves past thefolders 84-35. At this point, the sides of the paper are foldedinwardly, are heated by the heaters 86-8! and are cooled and pressedinto positionby the plates 88-89.

The remaining trailing edge of the paper is folded when the boxes aremoved into the transverse conveyor 9. The rams 4 when they reach thelower end of the table 2 position the boxes into the path of the rams 8and against the stop plate 5!. This is accomplished by the arms 46 onthe rams t, and the supporting arms 49, which engage the cam 41, andcarry the ram rollers 4e over the opening 45 in the track 42. As soon asthe box has been pushed into the path of the rams 8, the rams 4 areretracted and then drop down ward'lythrough the opening 45, and thenceinto the return path of the track c2. l

The box is .now picked up by the ram 8 and is moved'through'the folder93 and simultaneously the tucking wheel til tucks in the trailing edgeof the paper wrapper, and the completely wrapped box now passes throughthe heater ms and the plates H35, and is discharged at D. The speed orthe rains d and 8 and the feed of the paper in 52, as well as the speedof th tucking wheel 9t,'are all synchronized, so that the successi'veoperations are continuously and uninterruptedly continued.

Having described invention, I claim: l. Abox wrapping machine comprisinga horn zontal table a f. atransversely extending table,

nan, said, chains ending into the guide rails and guided thereby, a camtrack including an upper horizontal race and a return race, said trackhe "1g enings therein at the point of enu raceinto the horizontal raceupper race extending beyond the openings, arms of substantial lengthextending from the to the chains, said arms being pivotally attached tothe chains, a supporting arm on the and means engageable by saidsupporting whereby the rams are supported over said during movement ofthe rains in the c .zontal said track supporting the first named arms atthe ram end thereof,

2. A box wrapping machine comprising a horizontal table and atransversely extending table, a plurality of spaced rains, chains onwhich said are mounted, the upper reach'of said chains being positionedadjacent to and below the first named table, guide rails adjacent thechains, said chains extending into the guide rails and guided thereby, acam track including an upper horizontal race and a return race, saidtrack having openings therein at the point of entrance of the returnrace into the horizontal race the upper race extending beyond theopenings, arms of substantial length extending from the rams to thechains, said arms being pivotally attached to the chains, a supportingarm on the rams,

and means engageable by said supporting arm whereby the rams aresupported over said openings during movement of the rams in thehorizontal race said track supporting the first named arms at the ramend thereof, a plurality of spaced rams on the transverse table, chainsmounted below said transversely extending table, said last named ramsbeing mounted on said last named chains, and means synchronously drivingthe first and last named chains.

3. A box wrap-ping machine comprising a horizontal table and atransversely extending table, both of said tables being in the samehorizontal plane, a plurality of spaced rams, chains on which said ramsare mounted, the upper reaches of said chains being positioned adjacentto and (if-substantial length extending from therams to the chains, saidarms being pivotally attached to the chains, a supportingar-m mounted onthe rams, andmeans engageable by said supporting arms whereby the ramsare supported over said openings during movement of the rams inthehorizontal race said track supporting the first znamed arms at the ramend thereof, a series of trams on the transverse table, chains on whichsaid lastnamed rams are mounted, and means synchronously driving thefirst and last named chains. l

v 4.. A box wrapping machine comprising a horizontal table andatransversely extending table, both of said tables being in the samehorizontal plane, a plurality of spaced rams, chains on which said ramsare mounted, the upper reaches of said chains being positioned adjacentto and below the first named horizontal table, guide railsadjacent saidchains, means on said chains extending into the .guide rails to supportthe chains, a cam track arranged below the first named horizontal table,said cam, track including an upper horizontal race parallel to and belowthe first named horizontal table, a return race, said cam track havingopenings therein where the return race enters the horizontal race theupper race extending beyond the openings, arms of substantial lengthextending from the rams to the chains, said arms being pivotallyattached to the chains, a supporting arm mounted on the rams, a cam lugengageable by said supporting arms as the rams move over said openingsin the horizontal race, said supporting arm disengaging the cam lugs onmovement of the rams over said openings said track supporting the firstnamed arms at the ram end thereof, a series of rams on the transversetable, chains on which said last named rams are mounted, and meanssynchronously driving the firstand last named chains.

5. A box wrapping machine comprising a horizontal table and atransversely extending horizontal table, a plurality of spaced ramsprojecting above the firstnamed horizontal table, endless chains mountedadjacent to and below the first named horizontal tab-1e, sprockets overwhich said chains extend, said chains being positioned adjacent to andbelow the first named horizontal table, guide rails in which said chainsproject and are guided, a cam track including an upper horizontal racearranged parallel to and below the first named table, a return race,said track having openings therein where the return (race enters thehorizontal race the upper race extending beyond the openings, arms ofsubstantial length extending from therams to the chains, said arms beingpivotally attached to the chains, both of said sprockets being spacedlongitudinally of the machine from said openings, a support ing arm onthe rams, and means engageable by said supporting arm whereby the ramsare supported over said openings during movement of the rams in thehorizontal race said track supporting the first named arms at the ramend thereof, a series oframs on the transverse table, chains on whichsaid last named rams are mounted, and means synchronously driving thefirst and last named chains.

6. A box wrapping machine comprising a horizontal table and atransversely extending horizontal table, a plurality of spaced ramsprojecting above the first named horizontal table, endless chainsmounted adjacent to and below the. first named horizontal table,sprockets over which said chains extend, said chains being positionedadjacent to and below the first named horizontal table, guide rails inwhich said chains project and are guided, a cam track including an upperhorizontal race arranged parallel to and below the first named table, areturn race, said track having openings therein where the return raceenters the horizontal race the upper race extending beyond the openings,arms of substantial length extending from the rams to the chains, saidarms being pivotally attached to the chains. both of said sprocketsbeing spaced longitudinal- 1y of the machine from said openings, asupporting arm on the rams, cam lugs on the cam track, engageable bysaid supporting arms whereby the rams are supported over said openingsduring movement of the rams in the horizontal race in one direction,said supporting arm disengaging the cam lugs on return movement of therams in said horizontal race, a series of rams on the transverse tableand chains on which said last named rams are mounted, and meanssynchronously driving the first and last named chains.

7. A box wrapping machine comprising a horizontal table and atransversely extending horizontal table, a plurality of spaced ramsprojecting above the first named horizontal table, endless chainsmounted adjacent to and below the first named horizontal table,sprockets over which said chains extend, said chains being positionedadjacent to and below the first named horizontal table, guide rails inwhich said chains project and are guided, a cam track including an upperhorizontal race arranged parallel to and below the first named table, areturn race,

said track having openings therein where the return race enters thehorizontal race the upper race extending beyond the openings, arms ofsubstantial length extending from the rams to the chains, said armsbeing pivotally attached to the chains, both of said sprockets beingspaced longitudinally of the machine from said openings, a supportingarm on the rams, said rams having a reciprocating motion at both ends ofthe upper horizontal race at said openings, cam lugs engageable by saidsupporting arms whereby the rams are supported over said openings duringmovement of the rams in one direction and disengage the cam lugs onreverse movement of the rams in the horizontal race said tracksupporting the first named arms at the ram end thereof, a series of ramswith transverse table, chains on which said last named rams are mounted,and means synchronously driving the first and last named chains.

CLARENCE J. PETERSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the

